Bryan Brothers leave behind a legacy in Davis Cup

For more than a decade, team captains Patrick McEnroe and Jim Courier had the luxury of making one of the most no-brainer decisions in tennis history:

Plug in Bob and Mike Bryan to play on Davis Cup doubles Saturday.

The brothers often rewarded their captains’ trust in them, to the tune of a 24-5 record, a mark that distinguishes them as the all-time winningest American pair.

This year, Courier won’t have them to rely on as the Bryans announced they’re stepping away from the team competition, after being available every year since their debut in 2003.

Their former captain and teammates let them know how much they meant to them:

The American teammates went through some battles over the years, culminating with the Davis Cup title in 2007. The winning point against Russia clinched by the Bryans:

Not only were they a successful duo in the international team competition, but they found success apart from each other, too. One of Team USA’s most impressive victories in the past few years was defeating a Swiss team led by Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka on the road on clay in 2012. Bob Bryan missed that tie, but Mike teamed up with Mardy Fish to beat the Swiss pair in doubles.

Also, a little-known fact, Bob Bryan actually has a 4-2 singles record in competition, primarily playing “dead rubbers” after the result has been clinched, such as his win over Lukas Dlouhy in 2007:

Two of the Bryans’ last three rubbers have gone down to the wire, including their five-set win over the Great Britain team of Dominic Inglot and Jamie Murray in 2015 that captured all the drama Davis Cup is known for:

Great Britain would go on to win the title that year. And while their last official Davis Cup match ended in defeat against Croatia last year, the Bryans’ legacy in the event remains a mark for all competitors to strive for.